Eldoret Youth Reject Tribal Politics, Vow to Protect Peace Ahead of Elections
Nangabo condemned leaders who use fear and intimidation to advance their political interests, saying such tactics threatened Kenya’s stability.
Photo: Courtesy.
By Robert Mutasi
Youth from minority communities in Eldoret have rejected attempts to fuel ethnic divisions in the region, warning politicians against using young people to promote violence, intimidation and insecurity during the electioneering period.
The youth, who gathered in Eldoret on Sunday, said they would not allow themselves to be recruited as political goons, insisting that they would instead champion peace, unity and development as the country prepares for the next General Election.
The meeting came amid criticism of remarks made by nominated MP Joseph Wainaina, with the youth urging political leaders to exercise responsibility and avoid statements that could threaten peaceful coexistence among communities.
Hundreds of young people representing different communities attended the meeting, where they called on politicians to seek votes by presenting development programmes and clear policies rather than relying on tribal mobilisation.
The group was led by Patrick Ouma, Joel Otieno, Mercy Wamboi, Binface Nangabo and Alex Omondi.
Ouma said Kenyans had the right to live and work anywhere in the country without fear of discrimination or intimidation.
He urged residents to safeguard national cohesion, saying peace and unity were necessary for communities to prosper and for the government to implement development programmes effectively.
“As Kenyans we are free to live in any part of this country and there are many benefits in keeping peace and unity because we can only achieve development through such an environment,” Ouma said.
Wamboi said the country had reached a point where voters should judge politicians by their development record and plans rather than their ability to exploit ethnic differences.
She insisted that members of minority communities living in the North Rift were firmly settled in the region and would not be driven away by inflammatory political rhetoric.
“You are free to live and work in any part of this country and for those of us in the North Rift, this is our home and we are not going anywhere else as per the wish of a misguided individual,” she said.
Nangabo condemned leaders who use fear and intimidation to advance their political interests, saying such tactics threatened Kenya’s stability.
He said young people from minority communities would not be intimidated or manipulated into participating in activities that could undermine peace.
“As youth from minority groups we will not be intimidated. We will only listen to development policies and issues to do with peace and unity,” Nangabo said.
He challenged politicians to focus on issues affecting young people, including unemployment and lack of economic opportunities, instead of turning them into instruments of political violence.
Nangabo said the country would benefit more if young people were empowered to earn a living and participate positively in their communities.
“It will be more useful for the country if youth are engaged positively instead of using the young people as goons to destroy their own country,” he said.
Otieno said the youth had also begun engaging community elders and other groups in the region to promote dialogue and determine their political direction ahead of the elections.
He said the consultations were expected to lead to a larger meeting where the youth and other stakeholders would discuss their priorities and political choices.
The youth maintained that political competition should be centred on development, economic empowerment and national unity. They warned that politicians who attempt to exploit tribal differences risk undermining the peace that communities have worked for over the years.
They also called on young people across the country to resist being used to cause chaos during political campaigns, urging them instead to demand jobs, business opportunities and policies that improve their livelihoods.
The Eldoret gathering underscored growing concerns over the role of youth in election-related violence, with the participants saying they would remain vigilant and promote peaceful coexistence regardless of their political affiliations or ethnic backgrounds.
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